THREE years ago, Jan Rogers was living on borrowed time.

Her lungs wrecked by the effects of cystic fibrosis, she had been told she had just months to live unless she had a transplant.

When the call came in November 2010 she was housebound, wheelchair- bound, and on oxygen 24 hours a day.

After an eight-hour operation and a long and difficult recovery, Mrs Rogers pulled through, and has been a keen supporter of the Human Transplantation (Wales) Bill, passed on Tuesday night, which introduces an opt-out system of organ donation in Wales by the end of 2015.

That means unless a person has formally objected during their lifetime to donating all or some of their organs in the event of their death, it will be presumed they have consented to those organs being donated.

Mrs Rogers, who lives in Rogerstone, has long been a supporter of an opt-out system of organ donation, and has taken part in an awarenessraising campaign.

She said the vote in favour of the bill is “absolutely the right decision,” and expects to be asked to take part in another extensive awareness-raising drive ahead of the newsystem.

She said: “Organ donation can change lives.

“It changed mine. It’s been a long time coming.

“Perhaps they should have had a transplant patient in there with them while they were debating this.”

Supporters of the bill hailed the Assembly’s decision as a brave and bold step.

Roy J Thomas, chief executive of the Kidney Wales Foundation said it will “gladden the hearts of those in the UK who see this as a sign that other parts of the UK may follow.”

“This law will have a positive effect on organ donation rates of some 25-35 per cent higher on average. In opting for this law, AMs have created history by opting for life.”

The British Medical Association’s Welsh Secretary Dr Richard Lewis called the legislation “the most important created in Wales since the laws of (10th Century ruler of Wales) Hywel Dda” and said he was delighted the Assembly has shown the UK the way forward.

Family has important role to play

CONCERN remains among the opponents of presumed consent, including religious leaders and some AMs, that the bill is not strong enough to safeguard in particular the role of the family in decision-making.

Health minister Mark Drakeford, however, said: “Family refusal is a major factor that affects the numbers of organ donations and the main reason for refusal is lack of knowledge of their loved one’s wishes.

“The family of the potential donor has a major role to play in organ donation. The aim of the bill has always been to respect the wishes of the deceased, however, relatives or friends may object to consent being deemed, based on what they know about the views of the deceased.

“When family members know that organ donation is what the deceased would have wanted they usually agree to participate in the donation process.

The new law will work by clarifying people’s wishes around the issue of organ donation and, in turn, increase the rate of consent to donation.”